What stands out worked out from the figures below

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Manchester has the shortest commute (20 min average).

West Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Manchester	West Gardiner
People
Population	2,424Lowest	3,696Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME	43.5±2.8Lowest about the ME average
	Manchester and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%	18.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Manchester and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%	17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Manchester and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.5%Highest ME: 36.2%	32.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%	8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,031±$16kLowest 23% above ME	$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME
	West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average	$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average
	West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME	$1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME
	West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,486Highest 15% above ME	$2,282Lowest 25% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4%
	West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	9%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85%Lowest ME: 74.3%	88.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest same as ME	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 19% below ME	24 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	13.8%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	West Gardiner and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#90 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 38	RSU 11/MSAD 11
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.